Tailings ponds, or impoundments, can be used in mining operations and other activities to collect refuse from the operations. Pump assemblies can be used to reclaim water from the tailings ponds for re-use or delivery to other operations.
Tailings ponds experience changes in water level as new tailings and reclaimed water, respectively, enter and leave the ponds. In addition, the physical geography of tailings ponds may vary as tailings build up along the shoreline. Further, tailings ponds can be exposed to severe weather in some locations, including wind, waves, and ice build-up. Thus, pump assemblies can be exposed to various conditions which may render management of the assemblies difficult and may reduce pump uptime. In addition, the assemblies may need to be relocated from time to time in response to the above conditions, which can further reduce uptime. Together, these difficulties can negatively affect the overall performance of the pump assembly.